TOKYO: The Japanese government plans to resume its Go To Travel domestic tourism promotion campaign as early as in late January after assessing the novel coronavirus infection situation during the year-end and New Year period.

After the restart, the travel discount campaign will likely run until late July, before the full-fledged start of the summer holidays, excluding the Golden Week holiday period between late April and early May, sources familiar with the situation said.

Users of the campaign will be required to show coronavirus vaccination proof or COVID-19 negative test results. The campaign has been suspended since December last year due to a resurgence of infections.

When the campaign is resumed, 30 pecrent of travel costs will be covered by subsidies per person per night, down from 35 percent before the suspension, with a limit of 10,000 yen, down from 14,000 yen. The smaller discount will be for preventing demand from concentrating on high-end hotels.

The value of shopping coupons that can be used at travel destinations will also be reduced, from 15 percent of travel costs, with a limit of 6,000 yen, to a fixed amount of 3,000 yen for weekdays and 1,000 yen for holidays. The gap between the coupon values is intended to divert travel demand to weekdays from holidays.

After the Golden Week period, the government plans to convert the Go To Travel campaign into a program that provides subsidies to similar travel discount initiatives undertaken by prefectural governments.

The discount rate for travel costs will be lowered to 20, with a limit set at 8,000 yen, while prefectural governments will be allowed to offer additional discounts. The value of the shopping coupons will be set at up to 3,000 yen for both weekdays and holidays.

A different central government program that provides up to 7,000 yen in aid per person per night for travel within the same prefectures was expanded Friday to cover trips to neighboring prefectures as well.

Depending on the infection situation, the government plans to expand the program further to include trips to other prefectures in the same regions after the turn of the year.

JIJI Press